"I do not exactly understand you," said Neptune.
"Have you heard from Proserpine, lately?" inquired Jupiter of Ceres.
"Yesterday," said the domestic mother. "They talk of soon joining us.
But Pluto is at present so busy, owing to the amazing quant.i.ty of wars going on now, that I am almost afraid he will scarcely be able to accompany her."
Juno exchanged a telegraphic nod with Ceres. The G.o.ddesses rose, and retired.
"Come, old boy," said Jupiter to Ixion, instantly throwing off all his chivalric majesty, "I drink your welcome in a magnum of Maraschino.
d.a.m.n your poetry, Apollo, and, Mercury, give us one of your good stories."
"Well! what do you think of him?" asked Juno.
"He appears to have a fine mind," said Minerva.
"Poh! he has very fine eyes," said Juno.
"He seems a very nice, quiet young gentleman," said Ceres.
"I have no doubt he is very amiable," said Latona.
"He must have felt very strange," said Diana.
Hercules arrived with his bride Hebe; soon after the Graces dropped in, the most delightful personages in the world for a _soiree_, so useful and ready for anything. Afterwards came a few of the Muses, Thalia, Melpomene, and Terpsich.o.r.e, famous for a charade or a proverb. Jupiter liked to be amused in the evening. Bacchus also came, but finding that the G.o.ds had not yet left their wine, retired to pay them a visit.
Ganymede announced coffee in the saloon of Juno. Jupiter was in superb good humour. He was amused by his mortal guest. He had condescended to tell one of his best stories in his best style, about Leda, not too scandalous, but gay.
"Those were bright days," said Neptune.
"We can remember," said the Thunderer, with a twinkling eye. "These youths have fallen upon duller times. There are no fine women now.
Ixion, I drink to the health of your wife."
"With all my heart, and may we never be nearer than we are at present."
"Good! i"faith; Apollo, your arm. Now for the ladies. La, la, la, la!
la, la, la, la!"
The Thunderer entered the saloon of Juno with that bow which no G.o.d could rival; all rose, and the King of Heaven seated himself between Ceres and Latona. The melancholy Apollo stood apart, and was soon carried off by Minerva to an a.s.sembly at the house of Mnemosyne.
Mercury chatted with the Graces, and Bacchus with Diana. The three Muses favoured the company with singing, and the Queen of Heaven approached Ixion.
"Does your Majesty dance?" she haughtily inquired.
"On earth; I have few accomplishments even there, and none in Heaven."
"You have led a strange life! I have heard of your adventures."
"A king who has lost his crown may generally gain at least experience."
"Your courage is firm."
"I have felt too much to care for much. Yesterday I was a vagabond exposed to every pitiless storm, and now I am the guest of Jove. While there is life there is hope, and he who laughs at Destiny will gain Fortune. I would go through the past again to enjoy the present, and feel that, after all, I am my wife"s debtor, since, through her conduct, I can gaze upon you."
"No great spectacle. If that be all. I wish you better fortune."
"I desire no greater."
"You are moderate."
"I am perhaps more unreasonable than you imagine."
"Indeed!"
Their eyes met; the dark orbs of the Thessalian did not quail before the flashing vision of the G.o.ddess. Juno grew pale. Juno turned away.
PART II.
_"Others say it was only a cloud."_
_A Mortal Among the G.o.ds._
MERCURY and Ganymede were each lolling on an opposite couch in the antechamber of Olympus.
"It is wonderful," said the son of Maia, yawning. "It is incredible,"
rejoined the cupbearer of Jove, stretching his legs.
"A miserable mortal!" exclaimed the G.o.d, elevating his eyebrows.
"A vile Thessalian!" said the beautiful Phrygian, shrugging his shoulders.
"Not three days back an outcast among his own wretched species!"
"And now commanding everybody in Heaven." "He shall not command me, though," said Mercury.
"Will he not?" replied Ganymede. "Why, what do you think? only last night; hark! here he comes."
The companions jumped up from their couches; a light laugh was heard.
The cedar portal was flung open, and Ixion lounged in, habited in a loose morning robe, and kicking before him one of his slippers. "Ah!"
exclaimed the King of Thessaly, "the very fellows I wanted to see!
Ganymede, bring me some nectar; and, Mercury, run and tell Jove that I shall not dine at home to-day."
The messenger and the page exchanged looks of indignant consternation.
"Well! what are you waiting for?" continued Ixion, looking round from the mirror in which he was arranging his locks. The messenger and the page disappeared.
"So! this is Heaven," exclaimed the husband of Dia, flinging himself upon one of the couches; "and a very pleasant place too. These worthy Immortals required their minds to be opened, and I trust I have effectually performed the necessary operation. They wanted to keep me down with their dull old-fashioned celestial airs, but I fancy I have given them change for their talent. To make your way in Heaven you must command. These exclusives sink under the audacious invention of an aspiring mind. Jove himself is really a fine old fellow, with some notions too. I am a prime favourite, and no one is greater authority with aegiochus on all subjects, from the character of the fair s.e.x or the pedigree of a courser, down to the cut of a robe or the flavour of a dish. Thanks, Ganymede," continued the Thessalian, as he took the goblet from his returning attendant.